During a Tuesday U.S. Bankruptcy Court hearing in Decatur, an attorney for Crossroads landlord CityScapes told a judge that the club's $7,950-a-month lease expired Jan. 31.

The lawyer, Bo Harrison, said CityScapes is "absolutely opposed to (Crossroads) staying there for an extended period of time."

Crossroads' future downtown has been murky since owner Jamie Hunter sought Chapter 11 federal bankruptcy protection for his Catfish Entertainment. The club remains open at 115 Clinton Ave., but Hunter has said he is scouting for potential new locations.

On Tuesday, Harrison told U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Jack Caddell that Crossroads' 2010 lease should supersede an earlier agreement that ran through 2016. The amended lease was for a three-year term that expired Jan. 31, he said.

Caddell agreed that the newer lease takes precedence.

"Whatever you signed is it," he said. "That's just fundamental. If the lease has expired, it's expired."

Hunter's attorney, Mitch Howie, said he had little time to prepare for the emergency hearing and asked the judge for a few extra days to submit written briefs.

"He's been paying his rent, I don't think there's any emergency here," said Howie.

Caddell instructed Howie to have his legal briefs ready by April 1, when the two sides are due back in federal court for a separate CityScapes motion to have Crossroads evicted.

Following the hearing, Howie said the two sides plan to continue talking to see if a compromise can be reached before the April 1 hearing.

Hunter said Crossroads has concerts booked through the first week of May, including Justin Townes Earle and Southern Culture on the Skids.